Driver Operations Manager Jobs in Austin, TX (NOW HIRING)

Knowledge and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent training and experience

• Minimum two (2) years’ management experience in a fixed route system with over 300 vehicles is required.

• Progressive transit experience in Operations Management for a large fixed-route operation
• Willingness to work flexible hours to meet the needs of the business in a 24/7 environment

• Management of frontline employees with accountability for safety and performance
• Theories, principles, and practices of transit operations
• Must currently hold or obtain a Class B Commercial Driver’s License with P endorsement

Skills:

• Superior interpersonal and communication skills; ability to lead and gain buy-in from direct reports
• Superior written and organizational skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite

• Work well as part of a team
• Possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Fluent in English with excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Customer-focused with the ability to inspire your team with commitment and enthusiasm
• Exercise good judgment and creativity in decision-making
• Interact professionally with all levels of KTA employees, client representatives, and community members

Key Accountabilities:

Responsibilities

• Ensure all safety procedures and policies are being followed
• Coordinate all special events and extra service needs with the supervisors
• Oversees daily operations to ensure operational departments are proactively monitoring and providing solutions as needed for headways, on time performance and missed service
• Respond to accidents, incidents and potential disruptions to service
• Implement all service changes with the Operations Manager and supervisors
• Assist the Operations Manager in implementing strategies to enhance on time performance
• Assist the Operations Manager in implementing new service enhancements
• Actively manages the performance, scheduling and duties of the operations team
• Handle complaints concerning supervisors and document appropriate disciplinary procedures
• Establish good working relations with support departments, Union officials, RTC employees, customers and the community
• Handle and do not disclose confidential and sensitive employee matters
• Establish a professional relationship with operators and supervisors
• Conducts operational training of newly assigned supervisors
• Investigate and handle operator and supervisor counseling, discipline administration and employment separation
• Attend unemployment hearings
• Updates all reports as assigned
• Performs all other duties as assigned

Safety

• Accountable for driver group safety performance
• Ensure all relevant statutory and regulatory safety policies are applied and adhered to
• Ensure safety governance is in place in the group, continuously bringing safety performance and adherence to processes to the forefront
• Create and maintain a just culture where all employees are treated fairly and justly and understand their contribution to the organization’s safety culture
• Contribute to the safety culture through displaying exemplary safety-oriented behaviors
• Improve safety by identifying and acting upon opportunities for individual driver retraining

Operational Performance

• Manages absenteeism in the group and takes action to address unplanned absenteeism issues
• Review event video as part of investigation of incidents and performance issues
• Conduct field supervision of the driver group members to assess performance and competence
• Conduct annual performance evaluations
• Prepare and deliver regular driver scorecard results

Customer Satisfaction

• Accountable for the driver group’s contribution to the overall customer experience
• Lead a customer-oriented culture where all drivers ‘think like a passenger’
• Assist in the investigation of and response to customer comments

Employee Engagement

• Build a positive relationship with each driver in the group and lead an engaging culture where each individual is able to work to their full potential in the aligned delivery of the business objectives
• Lead the driver group and create a positive, collaborative, team-oriented environment in which they can work effectively
• Regularly provide one-on-one coaching to improve safety, performance, engagement, and customer satisfaction
• Provides regular driver recognition and feedback
• Work with applicable KTA resources to recruit, interview, onboard, train, and retain qualified drivers to deliver service in accordance with the contract and location business plan
• Foster the Union relationship:
• Understand and monitor compliance to the ratified CBA
• Manage union relationships to be productive and enable win-win outcomes
• Handles union grievance responses
• Address driver performance issues, providing coaching and/or disciplinary action when appropriate
• Ensure communication of all relevant KTA instruction and directives to drivers
• Act as liaison between drivers and other departments to foster communication and quick resolution to driver concerns and issues
• Drive improvement in the employee experience through improvements in employee related KPIs including driver turnover, unplanned absenteeism, driver headcount

Economic Performance

• Be aware of the business plan and current financial performance of the location
• Manage planned and unplanned absenteeism to keep related expenses at or below budgeted levels
• Manage recruiting and training expenses by limiting driver turnover
• Strive to contribute to the overall improvement of the location’s financial performance in a sustainable manner

Additional Statements:

• Drug and alcohol screening: Employment contingent upon passing pre-employment drug and alcohol screen. Also, contingent upon receiving a favorable background check. Must pass a physical examination.
• Safety commitment: Safety is a way of life at Keolis. By placing safety first, we ensure the wellbeing of our employees, customers, and communities. Together we can become the most successful transportation company in the world. 
• Environmental commitment: Keolis is committed to protecting the environment by minimizing the impact of operations to our people and the communities in which we operate.
• EEO statement: Our policy is to afford Equal Employment Opportunity to qualified individuals regardless of their race, color, sex, religion, age, creed, marital status, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, or gender identification. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.
• Disclaimer and closing statement: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees assigned to this job. Keolis is committed to offering our employees competitive compensation and benefits, opportunities for development and growth throughout an exciting and rewarding career, and the safest work environment possible